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WHAT UNIONS REALLY WANT

Contrary to what many people think, unions are NOT just some benevolent charity—A union is a business and today's union bosses need new members to fund their failing businesses. This is why they have poured so much money into getting hand-picked politicians elected to pass the misleadingly-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) , which enables unions to manipulate and trick employees into a union without a secret-ballot vote.

On top of that, because unions are a business, if you become unionized, you may quickly find that unions often have an agenda that, in many cases, conflict with the well-being of you or your company.

The Union Agenda*

Forced payments from you—Unions can only survive by getting money from workers they represent. This is why most unions are adamant on insisting on contractual language called a Union (Income) Security Clause. Legal in 28 states, a Union (income) Security Clause requires ALL workers in the bargaining unit pay union dues or agency fees or be fired.

Elimination of Right-to-Work States—In 22 states, it is currently illegal for a union to cause an employee to be fired for refusal pay union dues. However, unions have had their politcal puppet politicians in Washington introduce legislation aimed at ending Right-to-Work states. If passed and signed into law by President Obama, it will then be legal in ALL 50 states to fire workers who refuse to pay dues or fees to a union.

Dues Check Off—Unions have three ways to collect union dues and fees: 1) they can chase you down every pay day, 2) they can ask you to send your dues or fees to the union in the mail, or 3) they can ask the employer to be their collection agency and deduct dues straight from your pay. The deduction of union dues and fees is contractual language called Dues Check-Off.

Reduced Overtime—If a union can get your employer to agree to less overtime and the work still need to be done, your employer will likely have to hire more people and, although you may earn less, the union gets more members. In fact, one union constitution even states that it is the member's "duty" to discourage the working of overtime of his fellow members.

Union Access—Like you and your home, employers have private property rights. This means union business agents and other union officials would not be allowed onto an employer's property unless as an invited visitor. As a result, unions will often attempt to negotiate contractual language to allow union bosses to come onto the employer's property when they want.

Union Bulletin Board—Rather than leafletting the employer's property any time the union has an announcement to make, most unions attempt to get the employer to agree to a seperate bulletin board for the union to use to post announcements.

Special "Perks" for the Union Shop Stewards:

Super Seniority—As a special "perk" for union stewards, many unions like to negotiate Super Seniority into contracts. If negotiated into a contract, Super Seniority rewards the union's shop steward by giving him (or her) the most seniority in the department or plant. This means that, if there is a lay off, the union shop steward would be the last one to be laid off (more senior employees would be laid off first) and the first to be called back.

Paid Time Off for Union Business—As another special "perk" for union shop stewards, unions will often try to get the employer to pay the union shop steward while the shop steward is out on "union business." Union business can include, working at the union's hall, going to union conventions, working as a "union mole" at another company in order to unionize it, as well as engaging in political activities.

* Note: The above issues and examples are but a few of the institutional desires of most unions. They are what are referred to as "language" issues. as opposed to "economic" issues (like wages and benefits).

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